Vikings go to 2-0, top spot in NFC North
(Minneapolis, MN) — Minnesota quarterback Sam Darnold threw for 268 yards and two touchdowns against his former team as the Vikings beat the San Francisco 49ers 23-17 yesterday in Minneapolis. Darnold, who signed with the Vikings in the offseason, finished 17-of-26 passing while also running for 32 yards. Justin Jefferson had 133 receiving yards including a 97-yard touchdown catch for the Vikings, who improved to 2-0 for the first time since 2016. Brock Purdy was 28-of-36 for 319 yards, one T-D and an interception for San Francisco, which slipped to 1-1. Deebo Samuel had 110 receiving yards and Jordan Mason rushed for 100 yards and a score in the setback. Jefferson left the game with a deep bruise on his thigh. Minnesota hosts Houston next Sunday at noon. The Texans beat the Bears last night 19-13. That left the Vikings all alone in first-place in the N-F-C North.
(Green Bay, WI) — The Green Bay Packers ran for 261 yards during a 16-10 win over the Indianapolis Colts at Lambeau Field. Josh Jacobs led the way with 151 yards on the ground, and Malik Willis tossed a touchdown pass during a ten-point first quarter. The Colts got back into the game in the fourth quarter, but Anthony Richardson threw an interception on a Hail Mary attempt at the buzzer to give Green Bay the win. The Packers improved to 1-1. Richardson passed for 204 yards, a touchdown, and three interceptions, while Jonathan Taylor had 103 rushing yards. The Colts are 0-2 for the first time since 2021.
(Houston, TX) — The Houston Texans held off the Chicago Bears for a win on their home field on Sunday Night Football. Houston defeated Chicago 19-13 in a Week Two showdown between two young quarterbacks at NRG Stadium. C.J. Stroud completed 22-of-36 passes for 260 yards and a touchdown in the victory. Nico Collins led all receivers with eight receptions for 135 yards and a T-D. Will Anderson Jr. had one-and-a-half sacks to lead a Houston defense that racked up six sacks as the Texans moved to 2-and-0. Caleb Williams completed 23-of-37 passes for 174 yards and two interceptions in the losing effort. Khalil Herbert found the end zone for Chicago on a two-yard rush while Cairo Santos converted both of his field goal attempts. The Bears are now 1-1.
(Detroit, MI) — The Tampa Bay Buccaneers avenged last year’s Divisional Round loss with a 20-16 win over the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. Baker Mayfield scored on an 11-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter to put the Bucs on top, while Tampa Bay’s defense stepped up with an interception and two turnover-on-downs in the fourth quarter. Mayfield passed for 185 yards, a touchdown, and an interception, and Chris Godwin caught seven passes for 117 yards and a score. The Buccaneers are 2-0 for the fourth season in a row. Jared Goff had 307 passing yards but threw two interceptions, and Amon-Ra St. Brown caught 11 passes for 119 yards and a score. Aidan Hutchinson added four-and-a-half sacks in the losing effort. The loss snapped a five-game home winning streak for the 1-1 Lions.
